Relationships between Descriptive Sensory Attributes and Physicochemical Analysis of Broiler and Taiwan Native Chicken Breast Meat

Unraveling the flavor profiles of chicken meat: Classes, biosynthesis, influencing factors in flavor development, and sensory evaluation

Chicken is renowned as the most affordable meat option, prized by consumers worldwide for its unique flavor, and universally recognized for its essential savory flavor. Current research endeavors are increasingly dedicated to exploring the flavor profile of chicken meat. However, there is a noticeable gap in comprehensive reviews dedicated specifically to the flavor quality of chicken meat, although existing reviews cover meat flavor profiles of various animal species. This review aims to fill this gap by synthesizing knowledge from published literature to describe the compounds, chemistry reaction, influencing factors, and sensory evaluation associated with chicken meat flavor. The flavor compounds in chicken meat mainly included water-soluble low-molecular-weight substances and lipids, as well as volatile compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, acids, esters, hydrocarbons, furans, nitrogen, and sulfur-containing compounds. The significant synthesis pathways of flavor components were Maillard reaction, Strecker degradation, lipid oxidation, lipid-Maillard interaction, and thiamine degradation. Preslaughter factors, including age, breed/strain, rearing management, muscle type, and sex of chicken, as well as postmortem conditions such as aging, cooking conditions, and low-temperature storage, were closely linked to flavor development and accounted for the significant differences observed in flavor components. Moreover, the sensory methods used to evaluate the chicken meat flavor were elaborated. This review contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the flavor profile of chicken meat. It can serve as a guide for enhancing chicken meat flavor quality and provide a foundation for developing customized chicken products.

Sensory and physicochemical characteristics of Japanese jidori chicken (Choshu-Kurokashiwa) and broiler thigh meat: Effect of cooking procedure

This study aimed to investigate the effects of various cooking procedures on the sensory and physicochemical properties of Japanese jidori chicken (Choshu-Kurokashiwa) and broiler thigh meat. Thigh meats were cooked using three different procedures: grilling, boiling, and deep-frying. Subsequently, we performed sensory evaluation by a trained panel and instrumental analysis on both raw and cooked meat to determine changes in pH, shear force value, cooking loss, nucleotide metabolite contents, and proximate, free amino acid, and fatty acid composition. From the sensory evaluation, "springiness" and "chewiness" were found to be characteristics of Choshu-Kurokashiwa thigh meat among all cooking procedures. In terms of "juiciness" and "sulfur flavor," chicken breed and cooking procedure interacted, and these were considerably higher in Choshu-Kurokashiwa meat than in broiler meat only when boiling. In the instrumental analysis, Choshu-Kurokashiwa meat showed a considerably higher shear force value and lower free amino acid content than broiler meat, regardless of the cooking procedure used. Again, in terms of cooking loss, chicken breed and cooking procedure interacted, and this was considerably lower in Choshu-Kurokashiwa meat than in broiler meat only when boiling. These results showed that cooking procedure should be considered when describing the sensory characteristics of jidori thigh meat.

Metabolomic characterization of Liancheng white and Cherry Valley duck breast meat and their relation to meat quality

Liancheng white duck is a typical local duck breed in Fujian Province famous for its meat traits. To better understand how meat quality varies with breed, the chemical composition of breast meats of Liancheng white ducks (LD) and Cherry Valley ducks (CD) were examined using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS).The correlation between meat quality and the differential metabolites was further analyzed. The results showed that the effects of breed on duck breast meat were significant for pH, color, cooking loss, and shear force. Liancheng white duck breast meat exhibited a higher shear force and pH, and lower cooking loss and lightness (L*24), redness (a*24), and yellowness (b*24) than CD. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant differences between the meat extracts from the 2 duck breeds. A total of 49 and 57 significantly different metabolites were identified in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. These differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) could be divided into 28 classes, of which the 4 main categories were carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, and eicosanoids. Liancheng white duck might have better nutritional and medicinal value considering the higher content of (4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and prostaglandinF3α (PGF3α), having anti-inflammatory orantioxidant effects. Carbohydrate concentration negatively correlated with pH24. The 4 metabolites positively correlated with the shear force. These results provide an overall perspective for bridging the gap between variation of duck meat quality and metabolites with respect to breed.

Genome-Wide Association Study on the Content of Nucleotide-Related Compounds in Korean Native Chicken Breast Meat

Meat flavor is an important factor that influences the palatability of chicken meat. Inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), inosine, and hypoxanthine are nucleic acids that serve as taste-active compounds, mainly enhancing flavor in muscle tissue. For this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a mixed linear model to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are significantly associated with changes in the contents of the nucleotide-related compounds of breast meat in the Korean native chicken (KNC) population. The genomic region on chicken chromosome 5 containing an SNP (rs316338889) was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with all three traits. The trait-related candidate genes located in this significant genomic region were investigated through performing a functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) database search. We found six candidate genes related to the function that possibly affected the content of nucleotide-related compounds in the muscle, namely, the TNNT3 and TNNT2 genes that regulate muscle contractions; the INS, IGF2, and DUSP8 genes associated with insulin sensitivity; and the C5NT1AL gene that is presumably related to the nucleotide metabolism process. This study is the first of its kind to find candidate genes associated with the content of all three types of nucleotide-related compounds in chicken meat using GWAS. The candidate genes identified in this study can be used for genomic selection to breed better-quality chickens in the future.

Association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in dual specificity phosphatase 8 and insulin-like growth factor 2 genes with inosine-5'-monophosphate, inosine, and hypoxanthine contents in chickens

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the dual-specificity phosphatase 8 (DUSP8) and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) genes and to explore their effects on inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP), inosine, and hypoxanthine contents in Korean native chicken -red-brown line (KNC-R Line).

METHODS

A total sample of 284 (males, n = 127; females n = 157) and 230 (males, n = 106; females, n = 124) aged of 10 weeks old KNC-R line was used for genotyping of DUSP8 and IGF2 genes, respectively. One SNP (rs313443014 C>T) in DUSP8 gene and two SNPs (rs315806609A/G and rs313810945T/C) in IGF2 gene were used for genotyping by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and KASP methods, respectively. The Two-way analysis of variance of the R program was used to associate DUSP8 and IGF2 genotypes with nucleotide contents in KNC-R chickens.

RESULTS

The DUSP8 (rs313443014 C>T) was polymorphic in KNC-R line and showed three genotypes: CC, CT, and TT. The IGF2 gene (rs315806609A/G and rs313810945T/C) was also polymorphic and had three genotypes per SNP, including GG, AG, and AA for the SNP rs315806609A/G and genotypes: CC, CT, and TT for the SNP rs313810945T/C. Association resulted into a strong significant association (p<0.01) with IMP, inosine, and hypoxanthine. Moreover, the significant effect of sex (p<0.05) on nucleotide content was also observed.

CONCLUSION

The SNPs in the DUSP8 and IGF2 genes might be used as genetic markers in the selection and production of chickens with highly flavored meat.

Comparison of Thawing Treatments on Quality, Microbiota, and Organoleptic Characteristics of Chicken Meat Fillets

The current research attempted to evaluate the impact of various thawing techniques (R₀: control group, R₁: water immersion thawing, R₂: low-temperature thawing, R₃: combined thawing, water thawing then low-temperature thawing, R₄: combination thawing, low temperature thawing then water thawing, and R₅: oven thawing) on the quality, microbiota, and organoleptic characteristics of chicken meat fillets. The findings showed that moisture content varied from 74.43 to 72.33%; thawing loss peaked in R₁ at 4.66%, while it was minimum in R₅ at 2.10%. Lipid content varied from 1.09% in R₀ to 1.03% in R₅, while protein content varied from 22.06% in R₀ to 23.10% in R₁. The values of shear force, protein, and lipid oxidation increased for all treatments compared to control, ranging from 7.94 N to 9.54 N, 0.99-1.21 nm/mg protein, and 0.74-1.15 mg MDA/Kg, respectively. On the other hand, pH (5.94 in R₄) and protein solubility (238.63 mg/g in R₁) were decreased in contrast to the control group (6.08 and 298.27 mg/g). In association with different methods, R₅ and R₂ showed minimal thawing loss and the highest lipid and protein oxidation rates. However, R₃ showed reduced shear force and lipid oxidation comparatively. TPC was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in both R₂ and R₁. Sensory evaluation indicated that R₃ and R₂ showed better color and taste, while R₁ showed minimum scores for organoleptic attributes. R₀, R₃, and R₅ obtained a higher sensory score_, whereas R₁, R₂, and R₄ showed a lower score. However, R₅ exhibited better results in close association with the control group (R₀). Hence, it can be concluded that freezing and subsequent thawing decrease the quality of chicken fillets due to the time required for thawing. In the present study, the best quality of chicken fillets was retained by R₃ and R₅ due to their reduced thawing periods.

Heating temperatures affect meat quality and vibrational spectroscopic properties of slow- and fast-growing chickens

This study determined the effect of water bath cooking (70°C and 90°C for 40 min) and the extreme heat treatment by an autoclave (121°C for 40 min) on the quality of breast meat of a fast-growing chicken, commercial broiler (CB), and slow-growing chickens, Korat chicken (KC), and Thai native chicken (NC) (Leung Hang Khao), by vibrational spectroscopic techniques, including synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (SR-FTIR) microspectroscopy and Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy. Taste-enhancing compounds, including inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine-5'-monophosphate (GMP), were better retained in cooked KC and NC meats than in cooked CB meat (P < 0.05). The high heat treatment at 121°C depleted the amount of insoluble collagen in all breeds (P < 0.05). Shear force values of slow-growing chicken meat were not affected by high heating temperatures (P > 0.05). In addition, the high heat treatment increased protein carbonyl (P < 0.05), while no effect on in vitro protein digestibility (P > 0.05). SR-FTIR microspectroscopy performed better in differentiating the meat quality of different chicken breeds, whereas FT-Raman spectroscopy clearly revealed differences in meat qualities induced by heating temperature. Based on principal component analysis (PCA), distinct characteristics of chicken meat cooked at 70°C were high water-holding capacity, lightness (L*), moisture content, and predominant α-helix structure, correlating with Raman spectra at 3,217 cm^-1 (O-H stretching of water) and 1,651 cm^-1 (amide I; α-helix). The high heating temperature at 90°C and 121°C exposed protein structure to a greater extent, as evidenced by an increase in β-sheets, which was well correlated with the Raman spectra at 2,968 and 2,893 cm^-1 (C-H stretching), tryptophan (880 cm^-1), tyrosine (858 cm^-1), and 1,042, 1,020, and 990 cm^-1 (C-C stretching; β-sheet). SR-FTIR and FT-Raman spectroscopy show potential for differentiation of chicken meat quality with respect to breeds and cooking temperatures. The marked differences in wavenumbers would be beneficial as markers for determining the quality of cooked meats from slow- and fast-growing chickens.

Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum and its Fermentation Products on Growth Performance, Immune Function, Intestinal pH and Cecal Microorganisms of Lingnan Yellow Chicken

The present research was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum and its fermentation products on growth performance, specific immune function, intestinal pH, and cecal microorganisms in yellow-feather broilers. A total of 1,200 yellow-feather broilers of similar weight and good health condition at 1 d of age were selected and randomly divided into 5 groups. The CK group was fed the basal diet, and the experimental group (I, II, III, IV) were supplemented with 0.1, 0.15% L. plantarum and 3, 4% L. plantarum fermentation products. The results showed that each treatment could improve the growth performance (P < 0.05) and feed conversion rate of yellow-feather broilers. Besides, the pH value of the gastrointestinal tract of yellow-feather broilers (P < 0.05) was significantly reduced through the use of L. plantarum and its fermentation products as additives, which also facilitated the animals to regulate the balance of cecal microorganisms. The immune function assay showed that the bursal index (P < 0.05), spleen index (P < 0.05), and the content of serum immunoglobulins IgA and IgG (P < 0.05) were significantly increased in yellow-finned broilers aged 1 to 21 d by supplementing the diet with L. plantarum. In conclusion, adding L. plantarum or its fermentation products to the diet can improve the growth performance of yellow-feather broilers, and the direct addition of L. plantarum is better than adding fermentation products.

Carcass and meat quality of red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens) selected for muscle growth

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of selection for body growth and its association with carcass and meat quality traits in the red-winged tinamou. Two experimental groups were selected based on the selection index: selection group with a higher index (TinamouS) and commercial group with a lower index (TinamouC). Weight at 180 days and slaughter weight were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the TinamouS group, as were hot carcass weight, skinless breast weight, wing weight, and thigh and drumstick weight. The meat quality traits or sensory attributes did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between groups. A significant positive correlation (0.59; p < 0.05) was found between shear force and chewability and a significant negative correlation (- 0.59; p < 0.05) between aroma intensity and strange aroma. The present study suggests that the selection index promotes greater body growth and preserves meat quality and sensory traits in red-winged tinamou.

Antioxidant, Organoleptic and Physicochemical Changes in Different Marinated Oven-Grilled Chicken Breast Meat

The antioxidant, organoleptic, and physicochemical changes in different marinated oven-grilled chicken breast meat were investigated. Specifically, the chicken breast meat samples were procured from a local retailer in Wroclaw, Poland. The antioxidant aspects involved 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-pierylhydrazy (DPPH), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The organoleptic aspects involved sensory and texture aspects. The physicochemical aspects involved the pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), cooking weight loss, L* a* b* color, and textural cutting force. Different marination variants comprised incremental 0.5, 1, and 1.5% concentrations of Baikal skullcap (BS), cranberry pomace (CP), and grape pomace (GP) that depicted antioxidants, and subsequently incorporated either African spice (AS) or an industrial marinade/pickle (IM). The oven grill facility was set at a temperature of 180 °C and a constant cooking time of 5 min. Results showed various antioxidant, organoleptic and physicochemical range values across the different marinated oven-grilled chicken breast meat samples, most of which appeared somewhat limited. Incorporating either AS or IM seemingly widens the ABTS and FRAP ranges, with much less for the DPPH. Moreover, with increasing CP, GP, and BS concentrations, fluctuations seemingly persist in pH, TBARS, cooking weight loss, L* a* b* color, and textural cutting force values even when either AS or IM was incorporated, despite resemblances in some organoleptic sensory and texture profiles. Overall, the oven-grilling approach promises to moderate the antioxidant, organoleptic, and physicochemical value ranges in the different marinated chicken breast meat samples in this study.

Identification of New Genes and Genetic Variant Loci Associated with Breast Muscle Development in the Mini-Cobb F2 Chicken Population Using a Genome-Wide Association Study

Native chicken has become a favorite choice for consumers in many Asian countries recently, not only for its potential nutritional value but also for its deep ties to local food culture. However, low growth performance and limited meat production restrict their economic potential. Conducting a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for chicken-breast muscle development will help identify loci or candidate genes for different traits and potentially provide new insight into this phenotype in chickens and other species. To improve native chicken growth performance, especially breast muscle development, we performed a GWAS to explore the potential genetic mechanisms of breast muscle development in an F2 population constructed by reciprocal crosses between a fast-growing broiler chicken (Cobb500) and a slow-growing native chicken (Daweishan mini chicken). The results showed that 11 SNPs, which exceeded the 10% genome significance level (p = 1.79 × 10-8) were considered associated with breast muscle development traits, where six SNPS, NC_006126.5: g.3138376T>G, NC_006126.5: g.3138452A>G, NC_006088.5: g.73837197A>G, NC_006088.5: g.159574275A>G, NC_006089.5: g.80832197A>G, and NC_006127.5: g.48759869G>T was first identified in this study. In total, 13 genes near the SNPs were chosen as candidate genes, and none of them had previously been studied for their role in breast muscle development. After grouping the F2 population according to partial SNPs, significant differences in breast muscle weight were found among different genotypes (p < 0.05), and the expression levels of ALOX5AP, USPL1, CHRNA9, and EFNA5 among candidate genes were also significantly different (p < 0.05). The results of this study will contribute to the future exploration of the potential genetic mechanisms of breast muscle development in domestic chickens and also support the expansion of the market for native chicken in the world.

Data Mining as a Tool to Infer Chicken Carcass and Meat Cut Quality from Autochthonous Genotypes

The present research aims to develop a carcass quality characterization methodology for minority chicken populations. The clustering patterns described across local chicken genotypes by the meat cuts from the carcass were evaluated via a comprehensive meta-analysis of ninety-one research documents published over the last 20 years. These documents characterized the meat quality of native chicken breeds. After the evaluation of their contents, thirty-nine variables were identified. Variables were sorted into eight clusters as follows; weight-related traits, water-holding capacity, colour-related traits, histological properties, texture-related traits, pH, content of flavour-related nucleotides, and gross nutrients. Multicollinearity analyses (VIF ≤ 5) were run to discard redundancies. Chicken sex, firmness, chewiness, L* meat 72 h post-mortem, a* meat 72 h post-mortem, b* meat 72 h post-mortem, and pH 72 h post-mortem were deemed redundant and discarded from the study. Data-mining chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID)-based algorithms were used to develop a decision-tree-validated tool. Certain variables such as carcass/cut weight, pH, carcass yield, slaughter age, protein, cold weight, and L* meat reported a high explanatory potential. These outcomes act as a reference guide to be followed when designing studies of carcass quality-related traits in local native breeds and market commercialization strategies.

Meat Analogues: Relating Structure to Texture and Sensory Perception

The transition from animal to plant proteins is booming, and the development of meat analogues or alternatives quickly progressing. However, the acceptance of meat analogues by consumers is still limited, mainly due to disappointing organoleptic properties of these foods. The objective of this study was to investigate possible relationships among structure, textural characteristics, consumer acceptance, and sensory evaluation of commercially available meat analogues. The microstructure and texture of 13 chicken analogue pieces and 14 analogue burgers were evaluated with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and texture profile analysis (TPA). The moisture of the samples was related to cooking losses and release of liquid upon compression after cooking. Meat products were included as references. A sensory panel (n = 71) evaluated both flavour and texture characteristics. For the chicken analogue pieces, samples with more added fibres had a harder and chewier texture but were less cohesive. No other relations between composition and structure/texture could be found. In the sensory evaluation, lower hardness and chewiness were only seen in products with more fat. A lower sensory hardness was found to be related to the presence of small air pockets. For analogue burgers, there was no clear relation between composition and structure/texture. However, instrumentally measured hardness, chewiness, and cohesiveness correlated well with the corresponding sensory attributes, even though they could not be clearly linked to a structural feature. Next to this, fat content showed a clear correlation to perceived fattiness. CLSM images of burgers with high perceived fattiness showed large areas of fat. Therefore, the release of large fat pools from the meat was most likely responsible for the perception of this attribute. However, perceived fattiness was not related to liking, which was the case also for chicken analogue pieces. For both pieces and burgers, even if some of the measured textural attributes could be linked to the sensory profile, the textural attributes in question could not explain the liking scores. Liking was related to other aspects, such as meaty flavour and juiciness, which were not directly linked to compositional or textural features. Juiciness was not directly related to the moisture loss of the products, indicating that this attribute is rather complex and probably involves a combination of characteristics. These results show that to increase the appreciation of meat analogues by consumers, improving simple texture attributes is not sufficient. Controlling sensory attributes with complex cross-modal perception is probably more important.

Variability of Meat and Carcass Quality from Worldwide Native Chicken Breeds

The present research aimed to determine the differential clustering patterns of carcass and meat quality traits in local chicken breeds from around the world and to develop a method to productively characterize minority bird populations. For this, a comprehensive meta-analysis of 91 research documents that dealt with the study of chicken local breeds through the last 20 years was performed. Thirty-nine traits were sorted into the following clusters: weight-related traits, histological properties, pH, color traits, water-holding capacity, texture-related traits, flavor content-related nucleotides, and gross nutrients. Multicollinearity problems reported for pH 72 h post mortem, L* meat 72 h post mortem, a* meat 72 h post mortem, sex, firmness, and chewiness, were thus discarded from further analyses (VIF < 5). Data-mining cross-validation and chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) decision tree development allowed us to detect similarities across genotypes. Easily collectable trait, such as shear force, muscle fiber diameter, carcass/pieces weight, and pH, presented high explanatory potential of breed variability. Hence, the aforementioned variables must be considered in the experimental methodology of characterization of carcass and meat from native genotypes. This research enables the characterization of local chicken populations to satisfy the needs of specific commercial niches for poultry meat consumers.

Comparison of Physicochemical Characteristics and Sensory Attributes of Four Different Chicken Breeds from the Genuine and Selected Local Market

Village chicken is known as a high-quality product perception and sold at high prices. However, the authenticity of village chicken is doubted because colored chicken has been claimed as village chicken to fraud the consumers and to gain high profit. No stringent strategy has been implemented by the local authority on the authenticity of the claimed village chickens. Thus, the study aimed to determine the meat quality of different chicken breeds including village chicken, broiler chicken (Cobb), colored chicken (Hubbard), and layer chicken from genuine suppliers and chickens sold at different local markets based on the physicochemical characterization, textural properties, and sensory evaluation. Chicken breeds were obtained from genuine suppliers and slaughtered at the slaughtering house Universiti Putra Malaysia. Proximate composition, color, and textural properties were evaluated. Minitab-19 and SIMCA-13 software were used to analyze the results, applying analysis of variance and partial least squares discriminant analysis, respectively. The study revealed that some of the market-supplied chickens were not authentic based on the features studied. About 20% of market village chickens had possessed similar results as the control village chicken. It can be shown that 80% of the claimed village chicken sold in the market was not authentic village chicken. This study showed the differentiation in texture composition such as chewiness, hardness, gumminess, cohesiveness, resilience, and springiness, followed by protein content, ash content, and a ${}^{\ast }$ and b ${}^{\ast }$ values as an indicator to differentiate the authenticity of different chicken breeds.

Relationship between the Lactic Acid Content and Sour Taste of Broiler Broth and the Broth of <i>Choshu-Kurokashiwa</i>—a Japanese <i>Jidori</i> Chicken

The present study aimed to determine whether lactic acid content is associated with the intensity of the sour taste of Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth. Chicken broth was prepared using breast (pectoralis major) and leg (thigh + drumstick) meat of male and female Choshu-Kurokashiwa and broilers. These broths were assessed by a screened and trained panel and analyzed for sour taste substances (lactic, citric, pyruvic, malic, succinic, acetic, phosphoric, aspartic, and glutamic acids) and pH. The sensory sour taste was significantly higher in the Choshu-Kurokashiwa breast broth than in the broiler breast broth (P>0.001), and no significant difference was observed in the leg broths among the breeds (P<0.05). Choshu-Kurokashiwa breast broth had a significantly higher lactic acid content than broiler breast broth (P<0.001). The leg meat broth of male Choshu-Kurokashiwa had a significantly lower lactic acid content than that of female Choshu-Kurokashiwa and broiler leg meat (P<0.01). The sensory sour taste score was significantly and positively correlated with lactic acid content in the breast broth (P<0.001), but not in the leg broth (P<0.1). No other organic acids were detected. Phosphoric acid and glutamic acid contents were higher in broiler broth than in Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth for both breast and leg meat (P<0.001). In the breast broth, the aspartic acid content was not significantly different (P>0.1), and in the leg broth, it was higher in broiler and female Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth than in male Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth (P<0.001). The present study suggests that high lactic acid content contributes to the sour taste of the Choshu-Kurokashiwa breast broth and demonstrated that the lactic acid content is an essential indicator for determining the sour taste of Choshu-Kurokashiwa breast meat.

Effect of Plasma-Activated Water on Shewanella putrefaciens Population Growth and Quality of Yellow River Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Fillets

ABSTRACT

Plasma-activated water (PAW) is a new sanitizer that has received considerable attention for application in food industries. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of PAW on the inactivation of Shewanella putrefaciens and quality attributes of Yellow River carp (Cyprinus carpio) fillets. The carp fillet samples were immersed in sterile deionized water (SDW) or SDW activated by plasma discharge for 120 s (PAW120) for 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 min. After being treated by PAW120 for 6 min, the population of S. putrefaciens on carp fillets was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased by 1.03 log CFU/g. Compared with SDW-treated samples, the L* value of PAW120-treated carp fillets was increased and the a* value was decreased after PAW120 treatment, whereas there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the b* value. Compared with SDW, PAW120 caused no significant (P > 0.05) changes in sensory properties and texture attributes of carp fillets including hardness, springiness, gumminess, and cohesiveness. However, 6-min PAW120 treatment caused a significant increase in the lipid oxidation level and a decrease in the pH value of the carp fillets. This work provides a basis for the potential application of PAW in the preservation of aquatic products.

HIGHLIGHTS

Application of principal component analysis with instrumental analysis and sensory evaluation for assessment of chicken breast meat juiciness

1. The objectives of this study were to use principal component analysis (PCA) to analyse the variability of the three instrumental and 14 descriptive sensory properties of chicken breast meat. The meat was cooked until the internal temperature reached 85°C and further cooked for 0, 20, and 40 min. The second objective was to identify the most critical variables for assessing meat juiciness.2. Cooking loss and moisture content exhibited high correlation with sensorial moisture release and mouth feel.3. The distribution of objects on the axes of the first two principal components (PCs) enabled the identification of three groups undergoing different cooking durations. The four major PCs explained 80.0% of the total variability.4. Cooking loss, moisture content, water-holding capacity, sensorial moisture release and mouth feel were demonstrated as the most effective variables for the first two PCs. PCA with instrumental and sensory analyses proved an effective procedure for systematically and comprehensively judging chicken meat juiciness.

Wild Boar Meat as a Sustainable Substitute for Pork: A Mixed Methods Approach

Sensory analysis is unusual in sustainability research, although it can offer a neoteric aspect of nature and wild animals’ perception. The study’s objective was to identify consumers’ attitudes towards plant and animal products from wild and conventional foods and put these findings into a broader social context. A blind sensory evaluation with 80 semi-trained assessors was used, segmented by gender, age, education, income, place of origin, family status, number of children, and willingness to pay. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) was chosen as an example of an overpopulated animal species occurring in the wild, which could be considered a partial substitute for pork. Statistical testing in these blind evaluations proved that wild boar meat is not considered less tasty. Therefore, wild boar meat could represent a partial substitute, complementing pork, on which consumers are willing to spend the same amount of money. Despite the mostly indifferent sensory evaluation, focus group responses showed considerable barriers to wild food. This paper concludes that possible educational and popularizing procedures are presented, including forest pedagogy, eliminating consumers’ prejudices. A mixed-methods approach within quantitative and qualitative methodology was chosen.

Are Meat Quality Traits and Sensory Attributes in Favor of Slow-Growing Chickens?

The present study compared certain quality features and sensory attributes of the meat obtained from three different chicken genotypes: two endangered slow-growing indigenous breeds (Padovana: PAD, Polverara: POL) and a commercial broiler (Hybrid). Chickens (n = 42/genotype) were slaughtered at their commercial slaughter age: 183 days for PAD and POL chickens, and 35 days for the Hybrid. Breast and leg meat were dissected and used for qualitative evaluations. Results highlighted that genotype significantly affected final breast weight, with Hybrid showing higher values than both indigenous chickens. Conversely, PAD and POL meat was instrumentally tougher and richer in haem iron compared to the Hybrid. The sensory analysis conducted by a trained panel showed that the textural aspects and metallic flavor perception of PAD and POL meat differed from that of the Hybrid. These aspects were probably responsible for the lower overall acceptability of the PAD and POL meat compared to the Hybrid, as expressed by the consumer panel. A key step in making PAD and POL meat acceptable to consumers and stimulating its market seems thus the development of appropriate marketing strategies to transform product peculiarities in strength points.

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics of microwave vacuum dried mackerel and inhibition of oxidation by essential oils

In the present study, Indian mackerel was dried by microwave vacuum drying (MVD) method and compared its physico chemical quality to mackerel dried by hot air drying (HAD) method. Antioxidant effects of thyme oil (TMO) and clove leaf oils (CLO) during storage were also evaluated. Brine salted mackerel was dried in hot air oven (50-55 °C) and microwave vacuum dryer (600 W and 600 Hg mm). For essential oil treatment, mackerel was dipped in 0.75% TMO and CLO for 5 min. Moisture content of MVD and HAD samples was reduced to 30-32% in 1.2 h and 12 h, respectively. Rehydration ability and water absorption index of MVD samples were significantly higher to that of HAD samples. Mackerel dried by HAD showed significantly higher salt soluble and water soluble protein nitrogen fractions than that of MVD samples. Significantly higher hardness and chewiness values were observed for HAD samples. Color and appearance of uncooked MVD sample was superior to that of HAD samples. As per the results of PV and TBARS, TMO exhibited better antioxidant effect compared to CLO. The study demonstrated that fast drying can be achieved by microwave vacuum dryer and it can produce dried fish having better sensory and textural attributes.

Carcass Quality, Meat Quality and Sensory Properties of the Dual-Purpose Chicken Lohmann Dual

Over 40 million day-old layer line cockerels are culled in Germany each year, due to economic reasons, leading to a recently instigated research focus on the potential of dual-purpose breeds as an alternative to conventional poultry husbandry, especially the practice of culling. This paper aims to explore and assess the dual-purpose chicken breed “Lohmann Dual” (LD) performance (n = 30) and sensory characteristics (n = 48). Carcass and meat quality traits are evaluated, and descriptive sensory analysis of breast muscles is conducted. To define the scope of characteristics, a market sample of “Ross” Line (n = 35) is adducted. LD carcasses are characterized by higher leg than breast yield; carcass, breast and leg weights are higher in Ross. LD meat has a lower pH, differs in color, has higher drip and thawing losses, but lower cooking loss. LD breast muscles are firmer as indicated by shear force measurements, which is confirmed through the sensory analysis. Appearance, odor and flavor differ between the lines. Overall, distinguishable differences are found between both breeds. Further research should focus on the marketing aspect of the dual-purpose line, as some characteristics could draw consumers to this product. Animal welfare and ethical concerns should further be considered when considering dual-purpose breeds as a feasible alternative to culling.

Identification of quantitative trait loci for the fatty acid composition in Korean native chicken

OBJECTIVE

Fatty acid composition is one of the most important meat quality traits because it can contribute to functional, sensorial, and nutritional factors. In this study, quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses for fatty acid composition traits were investigated in thigh and breast meat of Korean native chicken (KNC).

METHODS

In total, 18 fatty acid composition traits were investigated from each meat sample using 83 parents, and 595 F1 chicks of 20 week old. Genotype assessment was performed using 171 informative DNA markers on 26 autosomes. The KNC linkage map was constructed by CRI-MAP software, which calculated genetic distances, with map orders between markers. The half-sib and full-sib QTL analyses were performed using GridQTL and SOLAR programs, respectively.

RESULTS

In total, 30 QTLs (12 in the thigh and 18 in the breast meat) were detected by the half-sib analysis and 7 QTLs (3 in the thigh and 4 in the breast meat) were identified by the full-sib analysis.

CONCLUSION

With further verification of the QTL regions using additional markers and positional candidate gene studies, these results can provide valuable information for determining causative mutations affecting the fatty acid composition of KNC meat. Moreover, these findings may aid in the selection of birds with favorable fatty acid composition traits.

Comparison of aroma-active compounds in broiler broth and native chicken broth by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), odor activity value (OAV) and omission experiment

Two types of chicken broth, broiler broth (BB) and native chicken broth (NCB), were used to analyse their differences in aroma by gas chromatography-olfactometry/mass spectrometry (GC-O/MS). NCB contained more complex volatiles and exhibited a richer aromatic profile compared with BB. Results from aroma extract dilution analysis showed that (E,E)-2,4-decadienal was the odorant with highest flavour dilution (FD) factor in both broths. The FD factors of 10 odorants in NCB were greater than those in BB, and 13 odorants with almond, citrus, vegetable, cucumber and sweet smells were only found in NCB. Moreover, 16 aroma compounds had average odor activity values (OAVs) greater than 1, among which (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal (OAV_BB = 181, OAV_NCB = 1067), (E,E)-2,4-decadienal (OAV_BB = 175, OAV_NCB = 1065), (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal (OAV_BB = 28, OAV_NCB = 169), and (E)-2-nonenal (OAV_BB = 39, OAV_NCB = 120) exhibited the highest values. Omission tests corroborated the importance of dienals to the overall aroma of chicken broth; nevertheless, omitting either (E,E)-2,4-decadienal or (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal individually did not result in significant aroma change.

Addition of Capsicum oleoresin, Carvacrol, Cinnamaldehyde and their mixtures to the broiler diet II: Effects on meat quality

Background

In recent years, with the prohibition of antibiotics used as growth stimulants in the nutrition of farm animals, researchers have searched for alternative natural and reliable products in order to be able to sustain the developments experienced during the use of antibiotics and to overcome the possible inconveniences. In this context, studies on evaluation of essential oils in poultry nutrition have been reported to improve the utilization of feed, stimulate the release of digestive enzymes, increase absorption in the stomach and intestines, antimicrobial and anti-parasitic effects and thus, can be an alternative to antibiotics and improve meat quality as well. Indeed, this study has been carried out to explore the effects of the addition of 150 mg/kg capsicum oleoresin (CAP), carvacrol (CAR), cinnamaldehyde (CIN) or their mixture (CAP+CAR+CIN) into the broilers' ration over sensory, physical and chemical properties in breast meat and leg meat.

Methods

Experiments were conducted over 400 male and female broiler chicks (Ross-308) in 5 groups (1 control group and 4 treatment groups), each composed of 80 chicks. The control group was fed without feed additives while the second, third, fourth and the fifth groups were fed with 150 mg CAP/kg feed, 150 mg CAR/kg feed, 150 mg CIN/kg feed, and 150 mg CAP+CAR+CIN/kg feed, respectively.

Results

Addition of CAP, CAR, CIN or CAP+CAR+CIN had effects on the sensory (of taste, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability); physical properties (of L* value and toughness), the chemical properties (of DM, CF, CP, linoleic, EPA, behenic, MUFA, PUFA and ∑n-6 of the leg meat), the physical characteristics (of toughness and firmness), and the chemical properties (of CF, CP, linoleic, ecosenic, EPA, lignoseric, MUFA and ∑n-3) of the breast meat in comparison to control group. Furthermore, while the treatments had positive impacts on thawing loss, cooking loss and water holding capacity in both breast and leg meat; no effect was observed on pH value and lipid oxidation on day 1, day 4 and day 8.

Conclusion

The results strongly suggested that the addition of CAP, CAR, CIN or CAP+CAR+CIN to the rations of the broiler chicks changed the sensory, physical and chemical properties of breast and leg meat. It was also observed that these compounds were more effective when they were added to the ratio as a mixture rather than adding them individually.

Superchilled storage (-2.5 ± 1°C) extends the retention of taste-active and volatile compounds of yellow-feather chicken soup

This work investigated the effects of refrigerated storage (RS: 4 ± 1°C) and superchilled storage (SS: -2.5 ± 1°C) on non-volatile and volatile compounds in chicken soup made from Chinese yellow-feather broilers. The results from total viable count (TVC) and coliform analysis showed that soups were safe for human consumption after a storage period of 42 days. SS resulted in a significantly (p < .05) higher content of free amino acids (umami and sweet taste) and 5'-nucleotides (inosine 5'-monophosphate and adenosine 5'-monophosphate) from 21 to 42 days compared to RS. Hexanal, (E)-2-decenal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and 2-pentyl furan were described as the primary odorants. SS showed significantly lower values (p < .05) for ketones and hydrocarbons, higher values for aldehydes and alcohols from 14 to 42 days, when compared to RS. The results suggest that SS improved the flavor retention of chicken soup after 21 days of storage and is a potential alternative treatment compared to RS.

Principal component analysis of sensory properties of chicken breast muscle supplemented with different feed additives

The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of different dietary supplements (bee pollen, propolis, and probiotic) on sensory quality of chicken breast muscle. The experiment was performed with 180 one day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks of mixed sex. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1. basal diet with no supplementation as control (C); 2. basal diet plus 400 mg bee pollen extract per 1 kg of feed mixture (E1); 3. basal diet plus 400 mg propolis extract per 1 kg of feed mixture (E2); 4. basal diet plus 3.3 g probiotic preparation based on Lactobacillus fermentum added to drinking water (E3). Sensory properties of chicken breast muscle were assessed by a five-member panel that rated the meat for aroma, taste, juiciness, tenderness and overall acceptability. The ANOVA results for each attribute showed that at least one mean score for any group differs significantly (p ≤0.05). Subsequent Tukey's HSD revealed that only C group had significantly higher mean score (p ≤0.05) for each attribute compared with E2 group. As regards the E1 and E3 groups, there were not significant differences (p >0.05) in aroma, taste and tenderness when compared to C group, with the significantly lowest juiciness value (p ≤0.05) found in E3 group and significantly lower values of overall acceptability in both groups (p ≤0.05). In addition, it is noteworthy that control group received the highest raking scores for each sensory attribute, i.e. the supplements did not influence positively the sensory quality of chicken breast meat. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the sensory data showed that the first 3 principal components (PCs) explained 69.82% of the total variation in 5 variables. Visualisation of extracted PCs has shown that groups were very well represented, with E2 group clearly distinguished from the others.

Influence of rendering methods on yield and quality of chicken fat recovered from broiler skin

Objective

In order to utilize fat from broiler byproducts efficiently, it is necessary to develop an appropriate rendering procedure and establish quality information for the rendered fat. A study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the influence of rendering methods on the amounts and general properties of the fat recovered from broiler skin.

Methods

The yield and quality of the broiler skin fat rendered through high and lower energy microwave rendering (3.6 W/g for 10 min and 2.4 W/g for 10 min for high power microwave rendering (HPMR) and high power microwave rendering (LPMR), respectively), oven baking (OB, at 180°C for 40 min), and water cooking (WC, boiling for 40 min) were compared.

Results

Microwave-rendered skin exhibited the highest yields and fat recovery rates, followed by OB, and WC fats (p<0.05). HPMR fat had the highest L*, a*, and b* values, whereas WC fat had the highest moisture content, acid values, and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the acid value, peroxide value, and TBA values between HPMR and LPMR fats.

Conclusion

Microwave rendering at a power level of 3.6 W/g for 10 min is suggested base on the yield and quality of chicken fat.

Comparison of the meat metabolite composition of Linwu and Pekin ducks using 600 MHz 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

In an effort to further understand of the differences of meat flavor and texture between Linwu ducks and Pekin ducks at market age, we investigated the meat metabolite composition of the two breeds of ducks using 600 MHz ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Comprehensive multivariate data analysis including principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and orthogonal projection to latent structure-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied to analyze the ¹H-NMR profiling data to identify the distinguishing metabolites of breast meat between two breeds of ducks. Compared with 42-d-old Pekin duck meat, breast from 72-d-old Linwu duck has higher concentration of anserine, carnosine, homocarnosine, and nicotinamide, but significantly lower concentration of succinate, creatine, and myo-inositol. These results contribute to a better understanding of the differences in meat metabolite composition between 72-d-old Linwu and 42-d-old Pekin ducks, which could be used to help assess the quality of duck meat as a food.

Effect of freezing on electrical properties and quality of thawed chicken breast meat

Objective

The objective of this research was to study the electrical properties and quality of frozen-thawed chicken breast meat and to investigate the relationship between these parameters at different times of frozen storage.

Methods

Thawed samples of chicken breast muscles were evaluated after being kept in frozen storage at −18°C for different periods of time (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 months).

Results

The results showed that water-holding capacity (WHC) and protein solubility decreased while thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances content increased with increasing storage time. The impedance module of samples decreased during 8-month frozen storage. Pearson correlation coefficients showed that the impedance change ratio (Q value) was significantly (p<0.05) related to pH, color, WHC, lipid oxidation and protein solubility, indicating a good relationship between the electrical properties and qualities of frozen-thawed chicken breast meat.

Conclusion

Impedance measurement has a potential to assess the quality of frozen chicken meat combining with quality indices.